1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to automated order entry systems and more particularly to data structures for use in automated order entry systems.
2. Description of the Related Art
Electronic commerce, or e-commerce includes the transfer of orders or other sales communications, credit information, electronic “funds”, and digital products. Electronic commerce provides speed and convenience to many types of commercial activities. Interest in electronic commerce has heightened with the advent of widely accessible communication systems such as the Internet. Other types of electronic commerce include direct telephone line connections, interactive cable or television services, facsimile services, local and wide area network communications and the like. Electronic data communications technologies, particularly the Internet, have greatly enhanced marketing and retail opportunities and activities.
Electronic commerce has not been fully realized. There is a need to incorporate electronic communications technologies to synchronize customer interactions with businesses. More specifically, electronic commerce capabilities need to be expanded to synchronize business relationships with customers. For example, present electronic commerce businesses do not provide customers with the capability of configuring non-commodity items such as services and configuration options that permit a customer to create a product and order the product so created. Additionally, electronic commerce presently fails to provide cohesive, integrated manufacturing processes that automate customer relationships.